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Today is the day the Siege of Malta ended with a Christian victory.
The Siege where 700 Christian knights defeated 40,000 ottomans and secured the future of Christian Europe. pic.twitter.com/lRKNFQGous
— Trad West (@trad_west_) September 8, 2026
Have you read this? It is a ripping read!
The Great Siege, Malta 1565: Clash of Cultures: Christian Knights Defend Western Civilization Against the Moslem Tide.
The person of Jean de la Vallette is amazing. His life demonstrates something of the stakes involved, for he had spent some time as a galley slave. He understood well what awaited the vanquished and he set himself with resolve in the face of the Islamic threat.
For the curious, here is the Latin of the tomb of this great Catholic solider.
HIC ASIAE LIBYAEQUE PAVOR TUTELAQUE QUONDAM
EUROPAE EDOMITIS SACRA PER ARMA GETIS
PRIMUS IN HAC ALMA QUAM CONDIDIT URBE SEPULTUS
VALLETTA AETERNO DIGNUS HONORE JACET
White to move and mate in 4.
NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.
White to move and mate in 4.
1. RxRa7+ RxRa7 forced
2. RxRa7+ KxRa7 forced
3. Qxb6+ Ka8 forced
4. Qa7#
Oh yes, I have read it. An excellent book by a knowledgeable historian about amazing people and events. I also read an historical novel about the siege that is entertaining entitled “Angels in Iron” by Nicholas Prata.
Perhaps a motion picture will be made someday about the siege that will come close to doing the subject justice. It seems to me it would be a perfect choice for Mel Gibson. It could surpass Braveheart and The Patriot!
1. Rxa7+ RxR
2. RxR+ KxR
3. Qxb6+ Ka8
4. Qa7#
Repeated checks required to avoid Black’s threatened checkmate at g2.
1. R×a7+ . . R×a7
2. R×a7+ . . K×a7
3. Q×b6+ . . K-h8
4. Q-a7#
@Sal
For what it’s worth, I believe Mel Gibson has announced he’s directing an epic mini-series about the Siege of Malta. Fingers crossed.
Tangential to the subject, today’s offering at The Catholic Thing is a refreshingly down to earth piece on interreligious dialogue. https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2026/09/09/medicinal-notes-on-inter-religious-dialogue/